Dealing with Toxic Co-Workers

June 21, 2021

The workplace can be a tricky place to navigate. With so many different personalities and job descriptions, egos and hierarchies, things can be misunderstood and sometimes things can even get messy – and petty. Toxic co-workers are found in most companies and usually do not last long because of their dreadful attitudes and bullying towards other co-workers. Toxic people are very real obstacles to a productive and healthy work environment.

The question remains, should you confront that vindictive co-worker in your workplace, or should you ignore them? We look at ways to avoid this workplace pitfall.

toxic

Just Unkind

When a co-worker feels you are not on their side or simply don’t like your face (let’s be honest – no-one at work really knows you) they can become nasty and unkind. This behavior may leave the victim feeling helpless and in a tight spot. Do you complain or do you ignore? Vogue writer Robert Wyatt weighs in, “Having to deal with a co-worker who is unnecessarily unkind is, at best, a medium-sized crease on the forehead. At worst, it’s a reason to quit the employment. Pettiness always treads a thin line with hostility; when it spills over, it is liable for action. Most times though, people deal with the kind that carefully lounges in the former, making it difficult to pin down a specificity that could warrant a complaint”.

Micro Aggressions

Micro-aggressions happen in the workplace all the time. Similar to passive-aggressiveness, micro aggressiveness takes the form of snide remarks. It is important to avoid language that can be perceived as micro-aggression. A microaggression is a comment or action that negatively targets a marginalised group of people. A microaggression can be intentional or accidental. It is a form of discrimination. They are subtle insults and put-downs. For example, saying a co-worker should smile more, or saying “he’s black but totally acts white” or making a remark with an “I’m just joking” at the end.

Sathyarth Muraad works in a multinational company where he believes micro-aggressions are commonplace. “Some people come late to prove a point, or keep you out of discussions if they don’t like you or are jealous of you,” he says. He believes in the power of ignoring a problem away. “Initially, there’s not much that we can do other than keep our heads down and just keep doing our jobs. When you don’t give them power by reacting to them, you’re sending across a message,” he explains.